Call it the British invasion of experts on defence and shipbuilding

The British are coming — at least to provide expert advice to the Trudeau government for its defence policy review and shipbuilding plans.

At least two senior officers already on exchange in Ottawa will be available to help the Liberal government and National Defence as it conducts a major review of the country’s defence posture.

Lt.-Gen. Mark Poffley, the deputy commander of British forces, says in an interview with The Canadian Press that the two nations are friends, with shared values and a shared outlook on the world.

Britain recently completed its own defence review exercise, and some of its lessons could be valuable to Canada, which has not refreshed its military marching orders since the Harper government’s Canada First Defence Strategy in 2008.

Separately, Public Services and Procurement says it is hiring a retired British admiral with a long history in naval acquisitions to provide advice on Canada’s troubled national shipbuilding program, where estimated costs are soaring.

Steve Brunton, who served for 36 years in the Royal Navy and retired as a rear admiral, will advise the Liberal government for at least a year on program management, construction benchmarking and competitiveness.